Because certain people who comment on this blog cannot seem to hold civil discussions, I am now having to waste my time (for which I do not get paid) monitoring every comment on Sonoran Alliance. I will NOT bow or be bullied by any one individual’s demands on how to run MY blog. Therefore, at this time, all comments will be approved by me once I have the time to review them. If they are civil, they will get approved. If they resort to calling other people names, attack family members or use vulgarity and profanity, I will disapprove them or even ban their respective IP addresses. These are MY guidelines and rules and if you cannot abide by them, then go elsewhere or start your own blog.
Statement by Governor Brewer: Arizona to Host Super Bowl XLIX in 2015
October 11, 2011 By 1 Comment
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 11, 2011
CONTACT: Matthew Benson
“I was thrilled to learn that NFL owners today awarded the 49th Super Bowl to the great State of Arizona – marking the third time the Phoenix area has hosted the championship game and the second time it will be played in Glendale’s beautiful University of Phoenix Stadium. I want to thank the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee for all of its fine work and, of course, NFL owners who’ve given the state this honor.
“The Super Bowl is indisputably one of the world’s premier sporting events – and an economic boon to any state fortunate enough to play host. In 2008, the last time the Super Bowl was played in Glendale, football fans generated upwards of $500 million in economic impact for Arizona.
“Beyond the economic impact, the Super Bowl will once again shine a bright light on all that our wonderful state has to offer. I know that football fans across Arizona share my enthusiasm in knowing that the Super Bowl is coming back to the Grand Canyon State!”
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Taxpayer dollars for electioneering?
October 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 11, 2011
CONTACT: Daniel Scarpinato
Are taxpayers subsidizing campaign work for Greg Stanton?
PHOENIX – Do you need a clearer sign of wasted and misused taxpayer money?
With a proliferation of street signs paid for by public-employee unions popping-up all over Phoenix and $3.7 million of Phoenix taxpayer dollars going to pay city employees to work exclusively for labor unions, the question remains: How much of Phoenix taxpayers dollars are subsidizing Greg Stanton’s campaign for Mayor?
A recent report by the Goldwater Institute found that Phoenix taxpayers are paying an average of $3.7 million for public employees to do union work. These contracts were supported by Stanton during his nine years on the Phoenix City Council. Union members are being released for more than 73,000 hours of time to conduct union business on the taxpayers’ dime – and those same unions are apparently using taxpayer supplemented funds to support and campaign for Greg Stanton.
In recent days, union signs supporting Stanton have gone up all over town. Additionally, there are reports that union members are walking door-to-door campaigning for Stanton.
1) Are they being paid by taxpayers to knock on doors for Greg Stanton?
2) Are union members getting paid by taxpayers to put up signs for Greg Stanton?
3) Are taxpayer dollars subsidizing union functions to free up money for Stanton’s signs?
No wonder the union supported candidates have been elected Mayor time and again.
No one has asked these tough questions. But it’s time for some answers.
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Is certification required for teacher success?
October 11, 2011 By 2 Comments
by Jonathan Butcher
Goldwater Institute
Part of being a savvy customer is recognizing and interpreting signals when shopping. Usually this is simple enough: Valet parking at a restaurant can be a signal that prices on the menu will be steep, and a clothing store located beside such a restaurant usually indicates trendy fashions and high price tags.
Likewise, employers look for resume signals to prescreen job applicants, such as attendance at an esteemed college or work experience at a reputable firm. But research indicates that, in the teaching profession, completion of a standard certification program doesn’t always signal competency in the classroom. In fact, teacher certification does not have a strong relationship with student achievement — effective teachers are better identified after having some classroom experience.
Alternative teacher certifications have gained a lot of ground, by 2009, 47 states had adopted some form of alternative certification. But some alternatives are better than others. A study that year found striking differences in the programs.
In those states that had alternative certification routes requiring the applicant to take fewer than 30 credit hours of course work, students between 2003 and 2007 saw greater test-score gains in math and reading than their peers in other states.
In addition, there were more minority teachers in states with effective alternative certification programs. This is a critical finding because of the general shortage of minorities in the profession over the last decade.
Neither standard nor alternative certification programs guarantee teacher excellence, and successful school leaders “understand how to hire teachers that will achieve positive classroom outcomes without having to depend on cumbersome certification processes,” wrote Arizona Board of Education President Jaime Molera in the Arizona Republic earlier this month. Alternative programs provide more ways for talented professionals from all walks of life to enter the teaching workforce.
The University of Arizona has an excellent opportunity to create genuine alternative certification routes with the $1 million in federal grants it received last month to support such programs.
For the benefit of all Arizona students, state policymakers and the university should provide prospective teachers with legitimate alternatives to standard certification requiring less coursework. We should give school leaders more freedom to hire talented individuals and hold both accountable for teacher and student performance.
Jonathan Butcher is education director for the Goldwater Institute.
Learn More:
KOLD News 13: UA getting more than $1 million to help recruit new teachers
Arizona Republic: Educators need tools to help students succeed
Education Next: What Happens When States Have Genuine Alternative Certification?
